US Lifts Diversity Visa Issuance Pause Following Court Order

• A federal judge temporarily lifted three government policies that had blocked DV-2026 selectees from receiving their Diversity Visas
• The court ruling on August 28, 2026 covered the State Department's visa issuance pause, a USCIS hold, and a 75-country immigrant visa ban
• The State Department confirmed on August 31, 2026, that the December 2025 Diversity Visa Issuance pause was no longer in effect following the court order

A federal judge issued a temporary court order on August 28, 2026, lifting three government policies that had effectively frozen the Diversity Visa programme for DV-2026 selectees, according to information shared by several US immigration law firms.

The ruling, issued in the case of Modani et al. v. Trump et al., ordered the Department of State to take all reasonable steps, to the extent practicable and in good faith, to reconsider visa applications that had been refused solely on the basis of two pauses during the remainder of the Diversity Visa fiscal year.

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Three policies suspended by court

The court temporarily lifted the State Department's pause on all Diversity Visa issuances, US Citizenship and Immigration Services' hold on DV-based green card applications, and the 75-country immigrant visa pause as it applied to DV-2026 applicants.

The State Department subsequently updated its website on August 31, 2026, confirming that the December 2025 Diversity Visa Issuance pause was no longer in effect as of August 20, 2026, in line with the court's directive.

What DV-2026 applicants should do now

For affected selectees, the ruling means that pending cases may resume ordinary processing and that applications previously refused solely because of the DV pause or the 75-country pause are eligible for reconsideration.

USCIS is also required to resume standard adjudication of affected DV-based adjustment of status applications.

Immigration lawyer Akua Poku advised affected DV applicants to confirm monitoring appointments directly with the relevant US embassy or consulate.

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Poku, who practises across all 50 US states, encouraged those with questions about their individual circumstances to seek personalised legal guidance given the complexity of the ruling and the limited time remaining in the Diversity Visa fiscal year.

The court's instruction that the State Department act "to the extent practicable" signals that not every previously refused case is guaranteed reconsideration, and applicants are urged to act promptly given the fiscal year deadline.

Lawyer shares advice for DV programme winners

In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that US-based immigration lawyer Elisa N. Kumadey has shared reasons why some DV Lottery winners encounter challenges after relocating to the US.

She explained what should be done when applying for any immigration status upon arriving in the USA. Lawyer Kumadey stressed the need for beneficiaries to review all their previous immigration applications.

Source: YEN.com.gh